Joe Goldberg is back at it again. New town. New Girl. Same wild inner monologue.
It follows the typical pattern of the other three books in this series, but this "You" novel just didn't do it for me. I've always enjoyed the books because they felt so much different from the show. The book-Joe always seemed more sinister. Darker. Crazier.
Except in this book felt like the author was trying to morph her book-Joe into the show-Joe, and that really killed it for me.
The storyline was epically slow and the side characters we very unlikable to me. I really had to force myself to finish this one. I'm a Joe-fan for life though, so even though this one wasn't my favorite, I will definitely read everything and anything in this series.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Caroline Kepnes for this ARC. For You and Only You is set to release on April 25, 2023!

Initial Thoughts
I had a good time with this book! It is always nice to catch up with my favorite serial killer, Joe Goldberg. This time Joe has his eye on an aspiring author named Wonder after meeting her at a writing fellowship at Harvard. The whole group of writers is an interesting group and I never knew how Joe would handle the various challenges thrown his way. I loved that there were plenty of surprises worked into this installment. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job with the story.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.

OMG! Joe Goldberg is at it again! I have seen all of the episodes of You on Netflix, but this is the first Caroline Kepnes book I've read. Phenomenal! It was a little hard to get into. The reader is literally inside Joe's head, and boy is that a trip! But the more you read the better you get at figuring out Joe's thoughts and actions and other characters. Joe is always trying to guess what everyone around him is thinking and that makes for some crazy text! I would highly recommend For You and Only You. Seasoned readers will love it and readers like me will vow to go back and read ALL the Joe books!

The first thing I have to admit is that it’s more difficult to read the You series now that I’ve watched the Netflix show. However, that doesn’t make the books less enjoyable! The newest installment takes Joe to Boston where he’s in a writing fellowship at Harvard. There, he meets his next obsession, as well as his other fellows who are an interesting group of people. As always, there are the close calls that keep you reading. I finished this one in two days and am always looking forward to more books about Joe!

I went into this book with very little memory of what happened in book #3, so parts of the story threw me off a little. Overall, the story was decent- Joe does what Joe always does, and obsessed over a woman as an excuse to not look at his own life and faults. However, the story flowed very slowly and picking up this book almost felt like a chore after the first 15% or so. I found some of Joe's commentary to be entertaining, but most of it just broke the immersiveness of the story instead of adding to it. It was almost like the author was trying to make Joe be Joe too hard, and that made Joe lose some of his most interesting quirks and characteristics. This book definitely wasn't my favorite book in the series.

I hate to say it, but this did not do it for me. Joe's rambling/inner dialogue made it hard to read. The first half of the book moved really slowly and did eventually pick up. Honestly, I think the show has me spoiled. The way Joe thinks is easy to follow when watching, but it didn't translate for me via text. I do like this author a lot and will definitely give more of her books a chance in the future.

For You and Only You is the newest thriller in Caroline Kepnes’ You series, about Joe Goldberg, that deeply twisted unreliable narrator, who just wants to find true love, even if that means a disturbingly high body count. He just has no choice but to murder anyone who interferes with his love life.

This is a thriller where the twists really make the book, so I’m just going to talk about the vibes, not about any actual plot events that could spoil it.

The reason these You novels work for me is that even while Joe is, you know, an unhinged serial killer, he makes relatable observations. Here, he’s in Cambridge on a Harvard writing fellowship, and his comments on MFA posturing and Boston namedropping are so real. SO REAL. There were some fiction blowhards in this book who could all die and it would be fine with me.

I knew the format was going to be Joe manipulating and murdering his way into his beloved’s life, and as usual, the tension comes from whether Joe’s coldhearted quick thinking will win, or if he’ll eventually get caught, perhaps with a tiny careless mistakes. By this point in the series, I was sort of wondering if anyone would notice the string of disappearances and mysterious deaths in Joe’s past. The book doesn’t disappoint, with more of angsty, murderous Joe killing his way to true love.

Still, overall I didn’t love this one because there are too many long speeches about writing and genius, and I was on Team Nobody. I would have been OK if Joe decided to off the entire cohort of writers and teachers, just to put an end to the monologuing on Fiction and Art and Creativity. I found myself skimming, which didn’t happen to me in the earlier books, and I was reading this eARC on a long train ride, so it’s not like I had anything distracting me. This skimming might just be me, because the sections on writing and creative power and process also gave me eyerolls in The Writing Retreat (and ALSO gave me eyerolls every time I was assigned a process book for my real MFA). So let me know how you feel when you read this one.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this advance copy.

I had a fantastic time reading this book. Caroline Kepnes, the Author of the well-known series "YOU," has never disappointed me. Being the 4th book in the series. She delivered. Joe is showing a different side of himself, and I love that little by little; we get to see that every season. Few chapters in made me LOL. I loved it. I can't describe how much I got driven, lost in the story, and saw the world in Joe's mind again.

The book gave a new atmosphere. It felt different and fresh and captured my full attention. This book delivered what you wanted for a series to continue, and I couldn't wait for what would happen next. He was more mindful of his victims and made me think about him differently. Deabtion will occur once the readers start showing up and seeing this different side of him. I'm glad this book was not close to what happened in their Netflix series. Of course, the book was better! This was amazing couldn't be more glad to receive this copy. Thank you once again!

I was a big fan Kepnes’ first two books featuring Joe and I was excited to get to read the fourth installment. However, I feel like Joe and the “You” series may be running its course. It was so hard for me to get through this book. It just missed the mark for me, but I think if you’re a fan of the series you should give it a try!

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I said that 2023 would be catching up with the series I have committed myself to in the past. Keep that TBR low. This certainly wasn't the final book but I feel that Caroline Kepnes is soon going to help us say goodbye to our favorite stalker and killer. Honestly, Joe was a bit boring in this one. He seems to be losing his mojo.


A short recap of my reactions to Joe Goldberg and the You book series and Netflix adaptation. SPOILERS ABOUND. The times I use the word boring -probably too many times. I am sorry.

You book 1 = 5 stars! OMG, I loved this so freaking much. Joe's sarcasm and his general ability to make me laugh. Please let there be more!

Hidden Bodies book 2= 4 stars. I hate L. A! Just like Joe Goldberg. Liked the twists!

You Love Me book 3- 3 stars. Okeee.... it's starting to be a little bit formulaic but I am sticking with the series.

For You and Only You book 4 2 stars= Harvard is not that exciting. A lot of these characters were not very memorable. Did like that someone is starting to catch on to Joe. Still going to see where the series goes.


Netflix Series( binged all 4 seasons in Winter of 2023)

Season 1= Acting is great. Overall, very faithful to the book. Didn't bother me the little changes or creative licenses taken. Appreciated out the fleshing out of Joe's back story. But... sometimes I felt bored. Is that because I had read the book?

Season 2= Acting is great. Joe & Love ❤️❤️❤️ Don't mind the changes from the book. But after a few episodes, all Forty scenes were fast-forwarded. Also, Jenna Ortega is a great actress but I grew tired of her in this. Sometimes, I was bored. Maybe these books don't need ten episodes?

Season 3= Acting is FANTASTIC! I know, I know, a huge departure from the books but let's see the direction it goes in. Oh, gosh, LOVE IS insane! I am glad to see Scott Speedman again. I always feel bad that I was TEAM Noel. But he is great at this next-door neighbor role. But I am REALLY bored, like, I don't want to watch this television show anymore. But my momma didn't raise a quitter!

Season 4= Acting was great. Some episodes didn't really hold my attention. Seriously, why do we need ten episodes of this show? Why am I so bored?

Season 5= It has just been announced this will be the final season. I hope it blows all the other seasons out of the water.

Expected Publication Date 25/04/23
Goodreads Review Published 16/04/23
#ForYouandOnlyYou #NetGalley

I think it’s time to leave Joe.

I really loved You, felt meh about Hidden Bodies, enjoyed You Love Me, but For You and Only You just didn’t work for me. Maybe I just like every other You installment, but I honestly don’t know that I would read any more at this point. My favorite part about Joe was that he was funny, but I’m getting annoyed now. I mean obviously Joe is unhealthy, but he’s normally pretty aware, sarcastic, funny, and makes some great remarks about the world in general. He’s no dummy, but it’s starting to feel pretty dumb for him to continue to stalk desperate women and the women themselves are just getting worse. Beck was awful, but I got it. Love was almost an equal in some ways and was interesting, Mary Kay was sweet and simple in a time when he wanted to settle down in a sleepy town, but Wonder was just… bland.

I think I could have forgiven his obsession with Wonder, but the whole writing fellowship in New England was just too much for me. The literary references and the insufferable literary types in the fellowship and everyone’s awful need to be the next recognized writer just made my skin crawl. I know that was the point, but I just didn’t want to read about it. It’s one thing when it’s the love interest being desperate and Joe acting like he knows what’s best for her, but when every character is just trying to climb over each other but still act like they are friends and having Joe also be lumped into that.. he should have been smarter and stayed away from a giant group of academics.

I’m usually captivated by the narration and I really didn’t enjoy reading this one. I was more secondhand embarrassed and annoyed with Joe and I’ve never really felt it as much before. I hated that Joe was trying to stalk Wonder AND also try to see his own book succeed and I missed his confidence.

I hate to rate this low when I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the books and really wanted to love this one, but I just didn’t like it at all.

Joe Goldberg is back in this 4th book in the You series. Joe is stepping out to the acclaimed halls of Harvard where he will be participating in a writing fellowship with fame author Glenn Shoddy. He thinks he has finally found a place where talent is all that is needed. That is until he meets the other participants who are just elitist assholes. Luckily, Wonder Parrish walks in and saves Joe. They both come from meager backgrounds and have so much in common. If Joe can get Wonder to commit to the writing lifestyle they would be literary soulmates and Joe will do anything to make that happen.

I have read and watched all of the You series and this is a warning after book 2 the book and the series do not match up and are really different. I’m not sure why but I read this book and watched season 4 of You at the same time which messed with me a bit because I actually liked the show’s season 4 better than the book but I think if I had done this at a separate time I would not have compared them so much. So, if you have already watched season 4 go into book 4 with an open mind. The book brought classic Joe Goldberg back which had me fall in love with the books in the first place.

There were some parts of this I enjoyed, but overall it did not work for me. I found it to be missing so much of the magic, fun, and thrilling aspects of the other books in the series. All of the characters, especially Wonder, felt so one-note that I didn’t care about them in the slightest. Someone finds out about all his murders and he suffers no consequences at all?? This just did not do it for me.

Joe Goldberg has made his way to Harvard and managed to secure a writing fellowship. Finally he is writing instead of selling other writers books. This is where he meets Wonder, they have so much in common, they are both from humble beginnings who earned their place in the fellowship on talent alone. He will sacrifice his own dreams to make hers become a reality.

I still want to see where this story goes, and if there ever ends up being a tied up ending to it as a whole. Which might be my biggest motivator in reading these novels, I'm fully invested. With that said, it is getting to the point where it feels like the same thing in a different location, but not quite as exciting. I enjoyed this novel because it was a Joe Goldberg novel, but I feel like he has lost a little bit of his mojo. Wonder was my least favorite of Joe's interests, she was boring and I couldn't understand why Joe was so into her and I think that took me out of this story a lot. Every time she left him I found myself screaming "LET HER GO JOE" at my kindle because seriously, he could have been his creepy self for someone better.

Overall, I still enjoyed it, but I'm worried it's losing it's magic for me.

I was jumping for joy when I received this arc. Love love this story. I can’t get enough of Joe. Always enjoyed this authors writing and I can just picture Joe speaking. I really hope there is another one. Highly recommend

5⭐️

<b> Something had to change, so I put all my feelings about my tragic, no-good love stories into a blender and wrote a novel.</b>

Joe Goldberg’s at it again, this time as a member of a Harvard literary fellowship working on writing his book, <i>Me</i>. Unsurprisingly, Joe falls in love with a fellow autodidact (and a Goodreads girl) in a sea of Harvard elites, and he will stop at nothing to ensure their new relationship succeeds.

I love these books! This is the first time I’ve read a physical copy of this instead of listening to the audio book, and admittedly I did really miss what the audio book narrator brings to Joe. I will definitely be rereading when the audio book releases! I can’t wait to see what trouble Joe gets into in the next one.

<b> Love is a book. You don’t skip ahead. You let the story surprise you. You root for the character and let the author set the pace. You don’t read because you’re in control, because you know what comes next and when. You read because you don’t know.</b>

Just when I thought it couldn’t get better, Caroline wrote this bad boy! I loved this book the most of out of the whole series! Prepare to be unable to put this book down.

This is a review I never thought I would write...
I think Joe Goldberg has hit his expiration date. (I can't believe I am even typing that.)
There were so many things in this book that got under my skin so much, that I thought about walking away from the book. I have been a huge Joe Goldberg lover for years.
First of all, in general, I am sick and tired of the whole white man privilege AND evil white man narrative in fiction. Words cannot express how tired of it I am. While this has been a theme in the previous books, it felt much heavier in this book. I was over it really fast.
Joe just didn't deserve any happy ending in this one. I just didn't like him. The whole vibe of the book was completely different than the first three books. It felt off-centered. Actually, I really didn't care about any of the characters in this book. Not a one.
I had to force my self to read to the end. It wasn't all that interesting, if I'm being honest. The book just was. It's haninging out there somewhere in the, I could've not read the book and not miss anything and I am glad I at least read it. This book wasn't necessarily terrible, but it definitely didn't feel like a real Joe Goldberg book.

We have another installment on Joe Goldberg in the YOU series.

I enjoy the YOU series but I am just not sure how much more can happen.

In this new book Joe is heading to Harvard. He has written a book and now got invited to a writing fellowship at the college.

This is where he meets Wonder Parish at a coffee shop. We found out that she is an aspiring writer and Joe is absolutely infaturated with her. I found her character to be rather boring.

I enjoyed the writing but I did have a hard time getting through it due to the length and me thinking this series seems to just have run it’s course.

The ending does leave you think that another story could he coming in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

What do you do with a problem like Joe Goldberg? This time our villainous hero is awarded a writing fellowship at Harvard.
Between falling in love and murdering whomever is in his way Joe has written a book which needs to get published
I must admit between watching the current season on Netflix and concurrently reading this latest volume the body count here was lackluster. Trying not to compare and just enjoying Joe, his inner monologue is so much fun. There is never a moment we don't know what's happening in that crazy brain. I know he eventually needs to be stopped but for now just enjoy the ride. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the early edition